President Donald Trump has told people in his circle that he wants to see new ownership and changes to programming at CNN, as a massive Hollywood bidding war threatens to reshape the media landscape and potentially deliver the network into friendlier hands.
David Ellison, the son of billionaire Larry Ellison of Oracle, told administration officials that he would make big changes to CNN if Paramount’s hostile bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery succeeds. The younger Ellison, 42, is pursuing an aggressive strategy to wrest control of the entertainment giant from a rival suitor.
The move comes after Paramount launched a $108 billion hostile takeover bid, backed by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, following its defeat to Netflix in the initial bidding war for Warner. Netflix had secured a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns Hollywood studios, CNN, HBO, HGTV, and an extensive movie and television catalog.
Larry Ellison, 81, called Trump to warn that the Netflix transaction would hurt competition. The Oracle executive’s concerns appeared to resonate with the president, who echoed similar sentiments at the Kennedy Center on Sunday night.
When asked about the potential Netflix merger, Trump, 79, said it would create a “big market share” and warned that it “could be a problem.” However, the president did not disclose that his son-in-law had a financial stake in Larry Ellison’s rival bid, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest in his public commentary on the competing proposals.
Jared Kushner’s backing of Paramount’s hostile takeover bid adds a significant political dimension to what would already rank among the largest media mergers in history. The involvement of Trump’s son-in-law in a deal that could reshape CNN’s editorial direction has drawn scrutiny from media watchdogs and industry observers.
The battle for Warner Bros. Discovery represents more than a typical corporate acquisition. The company’s assets include some of the entertainment industry’s most valuable properties, from blockbuster film franchises to premium cable networks and streaming platforms. CNN, while a smaller part of the overall portfolio, has become a focal point due to Trump’s longstanding antagonism toward the network.
Trump has maintained a contentious relationship with CNN since January. The president has repeatedly attacked the network’s coverage of his administration, targeting specific journalists and anchors. In June, he criticized CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand after she broke news of an intelligence leak surrounding Iran strikes.
More recently, on Saturday morning, the president took aim at host Kaitlan Collins, writing in a typo-riddled post that CNN and “the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation” represent “one of the worst in the business.”
Brian Stelter, speaking on CNN, discussed the potential changes facing the network and the regulatory landscape surrounding the competing bids.
The hostile takeover bid strategy represents an unusual escalation in corporate merger tactics. Rather than negotiating directly with Warner Bros. Discovery’s board, Paramount is appealing directly to shareholders with its proposal. The company argues its offer represents better value than the deal that Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery announced.
Industry analysts note that the ultimate outcome will depend on shareholder votes, regulatory approval, and potentially antitrust review by federal agencies. The involvement of the president’s family members in one bid while Trump publicly comments on competition concerns adds an unprecedented political element to the regulatory landscape.
The White House, Paramount, and Oracle have not responded to requests for comment on the reported discussions about CNN’s future programming and ownership. The silence from official sources has done little to dampen speculation about how a Paramount acquisition might transform one of cable news’s most prominent networks.
As the bidding war continues, the fate of CNN hangs in the balance alongside billions of dollars in entertainment assets. Whether through Netflix or Paramount ownership, significant changes appear inevitable for the news network that has long been a target of presidential criticism.
